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Samuel Deslauriers: The foosball fighter

MONTREAL—Dusted off from the bar room floor, some may find it hard to believe, but there has been talk that foosball may one day become an Olympic sport.

“We do have ping pong there and other table sports. Foosball is the same thing,” said Mathieu Bigeault, speaking for the Quebec Foosball Association. “It's all mental and it's physical. We play ten hours a day.”

Deslauriers has his dreams set on it being played under the Olympic rings one day.

“If curling is an Olympic sport, I think foosball can be an Olympic sport,” said Deslauriers.

He started playing foosball just over a year ago. Technically he's sound but he says he has a lot to learn about the mental part of the game.

“This is very strategic because you have to think how the other person thinks. You have to be in his head,” said Deslauriers.

“It's like chess but with quick reaction so you need a lot of reflex, you need tough, mental toughness to keep yourself on par every ball,” Bigeault added.

Deslauriers says foosball is a passion. It's not just something you play in bars, he plays in tournaments every weekend and plays constantly with his twin brother at home.

“We need to practice a lot and maybe with experience we can make it,” said his brother, Alexi Deslauriers.